BlackBerry Link El Capitan USB connection unstable

Problem:

My BB10 BlackBerry device won't back up using BlackBerry Link in OS X El Capitan. The USB connection keeps dropping. USB is fine with all of my other devices.

Solution:

• Make sure BlackBerry Link is installed, and your Mac has been restarted
• Make sure your BlackBerry is plugged into your Mac via USB
• Navigate to Apple Logo (top right) -> System Preferences -> Network
• At the bottom of the list on the left, click the plus button + (this will add a network interface)
• In the "Interface" drop down, note any BlackBerry interfaces that haven't already been added to the list (in the case of this machine, it was "BlackBerry (en4)")
• Add the BlackBerry interface, and then hit "Apply"
• Open BlackBerry Link, it might ask for your device password and then connect properly
• If successful, operations such as backup will now work without dropping

Notes:

This was verified to work using OS X 10.11.2 (El Capitan), a BlackBerry Passport, and BlackBerry Link 1.2.2 (build 32). Your results may vary.

Some operations, such as syncing photos, might not work (i.e. iPhotos has now been replaced by Photos, and syncing photos requires iPhoto; other changes apply).

Additionally, the above steps worked on a machine with a fresh install of BlackBerry Link, and without BlackBerry Blend installed. If the above steps work or do not work with both software installed, please follow the links in the references section for more information.

References:

• http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-link-f300/mac-os-x-el-capitan-gm-link-blend-fail-connect-1038952/
• http://supportforums.blackberry.com/t5/BlackBerry-Link/USB-connection-with-OS-X-El-Capitan/m-p/3141086/highlight/true#M10838

Sync shared Google calendars to BlackBerry Passport or BB10 device

Problem:

I have some Google calendars that were shared with me, however I cannot see them in my BlackBerry's calendar. How do I sync these shared calendars? As of now (December 2014) the official Google Calendar apps are not available on the Passport.

Solution:

• Go to https://www.google.com/calendar/syncselect
• Check any calendars that you want to sync
• Go to the Passport/BB10 calendar and refresh (click menu button on bottom right, click refresh)
• Wait for a few minutes until all events sync, they will show up then

Notes:

There have been other solutions online using third party apps or adding CalDAV accounts. However, for basic viewing needs the above solution seems to work. The CalDAV method is considered less secure by Google so it is not recommended.

This solution was tested in December 2014 to work using a BlackBerry Passport, OS version 10.3.0.908. Your results may vary using different OS versions, using different devices, or if Google changes their calendar in the future.

This was attempted in OS 7, however the shared calendars did not show up. Anyone out there have any luck with the older BB OS?

View full Google Calendar website with BlackBerry Passport

Problem:

How do I view the full Google Calendar website in my BlackBerry Passport's browser? When I go to calendar.google.com, Google brings me to the mobile version.

Solution:

Try the following URL: google.com/calendar/render

The site will show a dialog asking to confirm using the desktop version. If you click ok, the full calendar site should show up.

Notes:

Note that the full desktop site may not work fully or it may render slowly on mobile devices. It's a useful site to be able to log into however, as there are many options that can only be set using the full desktop site instead of the mobile site.

This solution was tested to work using the BlackBerry Passport, OS version 10.3.0.908, and the full Google Calendar site is accessible as of December 2014. Your mileage may vary using other versions and if Google decides to change Google Calendar in the future. Best of luck to you!

Restart a BlackBerry Bold 9900 (and earlier)

Problem:

For those of you still sporting your favourite BlackBerry handset, you may have noticed that on many models, such as the 9900, the only apparent way to restart your handset is to take out the battery and put it back in. Placing your phone in the "power off" mode from the menu only seems to suspend the handset rather than shut it off. For many, taking out the battery isn't a major problem. However, if you happen to keep your handset in a case the aforementioned procedure can become substantially more difficult.

Solution:

Luckily, there is another way to restart your BlackBerry handset, so long as it is equipped with a physical keyboard:

• Press and hold down the Alt key. Continue holding this key through the next 2 steps.
• Press and hold down the Right Shift key along with the Alt key. Continue holding these two keys through the next step.
• While holding the other two keys, press the Backspace/Delete key. Your screen will turn off and the handset will restart.

Notes:

The restarting procedure in this post is called a "soft reset" and can be used to help troubleshoot problems with the phone. It will not erase data nor restore the phone to factory settings.

Additionally, the above procedure will not work on very old BlackBerry devices such as the RIM 850, 857, 950, nor 957.